“Do you hear voices?” she asked him in a slight whisper.
“Yeah, but who is it?” he asked.
The two of them silently snuck into the barn. And there before them was Mike and Katie. Mike had his head up under Katie’s dress, and she appeared to be standing on his shoulders?
“Katie, quit moving. You’re going to rip it out by the roots, and it might not grow back,” Mike told her.
“I’m trying. I guess doing it this way was a bad idea. I’m sorry,” she said.
Mellissa looked at Rick. “Can you do it in that position?” she asked.
“Not me, but apparently your brother is very talented or gifted, I would say,” Rick replied.
“Indeed?” Melissa answered back.
“Is it out yet? I’m losing my balance,” Katie told Mike.
“Almost, there must be at least a couple inches that are still caught in your thing here, and it won’t let go!” Mike yelled back up to her.
“He’s stuck in her thing?” Rick whispered.
“I guess,” she told him. “Hey, you two, what in the hell are you doing?” she yelled.
Katie was startled to the point that her feet slipped off to the front of Mike’s shoulders, and she came crashing down onto his shoulders. “OOOPPPSSS!” Katie yelled. The metal frame of the hoop skirt came crashing down into Mike’s head. Without thinking about it, she wrapped her arms around Mike’s head, forcing the metal frame of the hoop skirt to dig into his face, causing him to lose his grip. And once again, Mike fell backward towards that large pile of hay, but this time, Katie was on his shoulders squeezing his head and there was loop skirt. They both landed in the soft cushion of hay.
Melissa and Rick started laughing. So much in fact that their ribs hurt. Katie and Mike just lay there, not saying a thing.
“Hey, you two, what in the world were you doing? Michael, you should be ashamed of yourself sticking your head up Katie’s dress like that. I mean really, if you wanted to see her underwear, she probably would have shown them to ya. Had you asked her nicely, that is,” Melissa said with a hint of laughter.
Mike opened his eyes and glanced over toward his sister. He really couldn’t see her with all the hay.
“Melissa, you had better run ’cause as soon as I make sure Katie is all right I’m going . . .”
Melissa didn’t stick around to hear the rest of it. And neither did Rick. They were gone.
“Katie, are you okay?” Mike asked.
Katie started laughing. “She’s right! We must have looked pretty silly. God, I’m glad Daddy didn’t walk in. He would still be laughing until Christmas time,” she told him.
“Yeah, I guess it was pretty silly looking. But you’re okay? Right?” he asked her.
“Oh, I’m fine. My hat will never be the same, but I’m fine. Oh my gosh, that was funny!” she told him.
Mike stood up and helped Katie to her feet. Then he started laughing.
“What’s so funny?” she asked.
“Your hat, it’s flat on one side,” he told her.
“Well, I guess you’ll just have to buy me a new one then,” she said.
“For as funny as you look right now, I might just buy you two of them,” he told her.
“Well, you should see your face. You have the indentation of the loop skirt across your face,” she said laughing.
“Well, if it had been made out of chicken wire, then it would be worse. But I’ll get you back, Katie Windslow. You just wait and see if I don’t,” he told her
“Oh really? Why wait? Here’s a little something from me to you,” she told him as she reached down and threw a large handful of hay at him.
“Right back at ya, sweetheart!” he yelled as he scooped up two large handfuls of straw and threw them at her. Hay was flying everywhere, scoop after scoop, handful after handful, but they didn’t care.
This went on for about five minutes or so. Then they hugged each other and laughed. Then hand in hand, with straw all over them, they walked from the barn. And for some reason, everyone was clapping and cheering for them.
Even Grady of all people.
It seems that Melissa and Rick had told everyone that they were having a straw fight, and Katie was winning. They knew better than to tell everyone the truth, especially since neither of them knew exactly what the truth was.
Apparently, the best-laid plans of mice and men are best left to the experts. Or so it would seem anyways.
The Dream of Every Woman
Katie headed straight to the house to change her clothes and lose that damn hoop skirt. As she had just finished changing, Melissa knocked on her door. As Katie opened it, she found a very excited Melissa before her.
“I know something that you don’t know,” Melissa said as she walked past Katie.
“Really? I guess that would explain the grin on your face,” Katie told her.
“Yeah, maybe, but just wait until I tell ya what I know, and we’ll see if you ain’t smiling too,” Melissa responded.
“So tell me already,” Katie told her.
“Okay. Well, I was standing over behind Rick, Mike, and your dad, and I overheard Rick say that it’s about time to ask her to marry him,” Melissa said.
“So you think Rick is going to pop the question? That’s great! I’m so happy for ya. Rick is a really nice guy,” Katie told her.
“Well, I might be reading more into it than I should, but that’s the feeling that I got,” Melissa responded.
“Well, if he does, I couldn’t be any happier for you,” Katie answered back.
“Thanks, Katie! You’re a sweetheart. You know what? I’ve only known you for a few days, but it feels like we’ve been best friends forever. And if Rick does ask me, would you like to be my maid of honor?” Melissa asked. “I can’t think of anyone else that I’d rather have than my newest friend.”
“Melissa, from the day that you stepped off of that train, you have treated me just like a sister. And you’ll never know just how much that means to me. So of course, I’ll be you’re maid of honor. Without question, I would consider it an honor. But if your brother ever asks me, you have to agree to be mine as well. Okay?” Katie told her.
“That sounds like a deal. But I do have one simple little question for ya. What in the hell were you doing in the barn?” Melissa asked. “That, my dear Katie, had to be the funniest thing that I have ever seen.”
Katie just threw her a devilish smile.
“You didn’t?” Melissa asked.
“No, we didn’t, but we would have if it hadn’t been for that stupid hoop skirt,” Katie told her.
“Oh, I see. So my brother had his head up your dress for what reason?” she asked with a very sinister grin.
“That will remain our little secret, but you and Rick should try it sometime. It’s great,” Katie replied.
“Well, maybe later, you’ll find the time to explain it to me in more detail. But right now, I need to go freshen up just in case he does ask me,” Melissa told her.
“Well, I’ll be praying for ya, okay?” Katie told her.
“You do that. I’ve got to go. I’ll see you outside,” Melissa said as she left the room.
Katie went back to brushing her hair. “Oh, look, more straw,” she said to herself as she pulled it from her brush. Then she remembered something that she had promised Michael. As she pulled her red dress from the closet, she knew that he would like it, along with all of the other guys as well. So she changed into it and added some final touches and went outside.
As Katie stepped out from the house, the bright afternoon sun had fallen from the sky. In its place was a full moon, shining its romantic light down on the earth or at least on to Mattersonville, Georgia. Katie was thinking back to what had just happened in the barn and all. Maybe it was all the excitement of finally uncoverin’ the treasure or her and Michael’s little romp in the hay, or attempted romp anyways. But there was something in the air, something that told her that there was still more yet to c
ome.
The fireworks were supposed to be starting anytime, and in fact, they were late. They should have started at dusk, but why hadn’t they started yet? She would have to go see what the delay was.
As she walked past the stage, Mike asked her to join him next to the microphone. She was curious, but she agreed all the same.
“Okay, Michael, you’ve got me up here on the stage again. I was going to find out why the fireworks hadn’t started yet,” she told him. She was surprised when they were joined by Melissa, Rick, and her daddy.
“Katie, we need to talk,” Michael told her.
“Need to talk? Talk about what?” she asked
“Katie sweetheart, you know that I would never do anything to hurt you, right?” he asked.
Katie just looked at him in a very questionable stare. “Yeah, but where are you going with this, Michael?” she asked.
“Well, I’ve been thinking’, and I don’t want to hurt you, but I think we need to end this little courtship of ours,” he told her without looking at her in the eye.
“Excuse me, you want to break up our little courtship? In front of all these people? I can’t believe you’re doing this to me, Michael. I love you. And I thought you loved me,” she told him as the tears started flowing down her cheeks.
“But I do love you, and I always will. But I just don’t want to be your boyfriend anymore. And if that hurts you, Katie, I’m sorry. But I feel that I must follow my heart here,” he said as he held her hand and slowly wiped away her tears with his fingers.
“Fine, if you want to break up with me, I understand. Wait a second. Like hell, I understand. I don’t understand anything. Why now, Michael? Why in front of all these people? Just tell me that, Michael. Tell me why!” she asked.
“Witness,” he told her.
“Witness for what?” she asked.
Michael turned to Grady. “Grady, I’d like to have your daughter’s hand in marriage. Do I have your approval, sir?” he asked.
“Son, it would be an honor to have such a fine gentleman as yourself as my son-in-law, so my answer would be yes,” Grady told him as Katie stood there in total disbelief.
Michael turned back toward Katie. Dropping down onto one knee, he slid a ring on to her finger. “Katie Windslow, will you marry me ?” he asked.
Katie just stood there. And for once on her life, she was utterly speechless. As she glanced up at the crowd, she noticed everyone was staring at her. She saw Melissa smiling at her as she turned her attention back to Michael.
“Well, Katie? I’m waiting, and they’re all waiting,” Mike said as he pointed toward the crowd.
“Yes! Oh my god, yes!” she said as he stood taking her into his arms and locking his lips on to hers. And behind them . . . fireworks, a lot of fireworks bursting high up in the Georgia night sky. The entire crowd erupted in a hail of applause.
“I love you, Michael, but that was mean telling me that you didn’t want to be my boyfriend anymore,” she spoke into his ear.
Mike pulled his body away from hers. “But I don’t want to be your boyfriend anymore. I want to be your husband. And I want you to be my wife. I want to wake up every day and see you sleeping next to me. I want to hold you and warm you when you’re cold and take care of you when you’re sick. I want to grow old together and live our final years in just as much love as I feel for you right now. So if I have to stop being your boyfriend to do all of that and more, then I will. Just because I love you so much, soon-to-be Mrs. Katie Gibbes,” he told her.
“Katie Gibbes? Now that might take a little getting used to. But as far as your kisses go, I’m still studying. So kiss me,” she told him as they kissed again. Then she stopped. With her lips still pressed against his, she said, “The fireworks were a nice touch.”
“I thought that you would enjoy that part. But you were right. That red dress looks great on you, and I haven’t looked at your feet once. But for right now, let’s get back to this part,” he said as he pulled her into him and kissed her harder. After a very hard and passionate kiss, each of them pulled away slowly. “Katie, there’s only one thing that I can think of that would make me any happier than I am right now,” Michael told her.
As Katie wiped her eyes, she asked, “And what would that be, if I dare ask?”
“Well, while our wedding will be a very big event, we need to make it a tad bigger,” he told her.
“And how would you do that?” she asked.
Michael turned to look at Rick as he dropped to one knee in front of Melissa. “Melissa, we’ve been friends ever since we were kids. We’ve even dated a few times, but I think it’s time that we made it official. So would you marry me and make me the happiest man in the world?” he asked her.
While Melissa might have been expecting it, a double wedding she wasn’t. She just stared at him as she tried to control herself. Finally, she found the right words as she stared up at him. “Rick, I’d love to marry you, but before I start crying like a little baby, I have to say yes,” she told him as she fell into his waiting arms.
The crowd went wild. The two girls just looked at each other. Then they ran toward each other and fell into a very heartfelt embrace.
“Ladies, would you care to dance?” Michael asked them.
“Sure, but we haven’t any music,” Katie told him.
“You’re Katie Windslow. Just tell them that you want some music,” he told her as he put the microphone in front of her.
“Excuse me, can we get some music please? We want to dance,” he said into the microphone.
And like magic, from behind the stage, the band started playing. And they were playing their song, the same song Michael had played for her for that first time in the soda shop—“Unforgettable.”
“Michael, I do declare you’re just full of surprises today, ain’t ya?” she told him as they danced across the stage.
“No, just full of love. For you,” he told her.
And the four newly proclaimed lovers started dancing the first dance of the rest of their lives.
On the other side of the stage, Grady was watching as the four of them danced. He was truly happy for all of them. But he noticed a little boy staring at them too and almost a hard as he was.
“How ya doing, son?” Grady asked.
“Oh, hi, Grady, or Mr. Windslow,” the boy answered.
“My friends call me Grady, so you can too. So you know who I am, do you?” he asked the little boy.
“Yes, sir, she’s your daughter,” the boy answered as he pointed at Katie.
“Yep, that’s my little girl all right all grown up. Hey, I bet you’re Cindy’s brother, ain’t ya?” Grady asked.
“Yes, sir. Sir, you’re daughter, she’s going to marry that guy, isn’t she?” he asked.
“Yes, son, I’m sorry, but I think she will do just that. You really like my daughter, don’t ya?” he asked.
“Yes, sir, she’s just about the prettiest thing that I ever saw. And I’ll tell ya a secret, that is if you give yer word that you won’t tell her what I’d said,” the boy said.
“Oh, I give you my word. I won’t tell Katie a single word of what you tell me. Okay?” Grady promised the little boy.
“Well, I walked by her, and oh my world, she smelled as good as a zillion freshly picked flowers,” the little boy told him.
“Are you sure you’re only twelve?” Grady asked.
“Yes, sir, twelve years old I am,” the boy answered.
“Well, son, if you keep talking like that, you’ll have girls fallin’ all over themselves just to be wit’ ya. Where did you learn to talk like that?” Grady asked.
“Well, I read a lot, and I go to school . . . when I can,” he answered.
“Well, you stay in school every day now. But now back to Katie. Would you like to dance with her, son? Would you like to hold her in your arms and slow dance with her?” Grady asked.
“Yes, sir, Mr.—I mean, Grady. I would die to dance just one dance with her,” the boy
explained.
“Okay, this is what you do when this song ends, okay?” Grady explained how to break into someone else’s dance with a beautiful woman. The little boy said that he understood.
“But if anyone tries to break in on your dancing with her, you just tell them this,” Grady told the little boy as he whispered into his ear.
“Oh no, I’ll get in trouble if I say that,” the boy told Grady.
“You’re right, you would indeed, but just this one time, it will be okay. You just tell them that Grady said it would be okay.”
“Are you sure I ain’t going to git a whipping ’cause Pa don’t like it when I back talk?” the little boy asked. “Especially to an adult.”
“Yes, I’m sure, but you can only do it this one time, okay?” Grady asked.
“Well, okay, but just this once ’cause Pa’s whipping, they hurt real bad,” the little boy explained.
“Trust me, no whippings. Okay, just wait for the music to stop and then do what I told ya, okay?” Grady asked the boy. The little boy just shook his head. He understood what Grady meant.
Grady went over to the band and requested a really slow ballad to be played next. The band agreed.
As the music stopped, Mike and Katie pulled themselves away from each other’s embrace. Then Katie felt a little tug on her dress. She turned to see this little boy looking up at her.
“Yes, sir, what can I do for you?” Katie asked.
“Miss, would you mind very much if I cut in please? This next dance is ours,” the boy asked.
Katie was in total shock. “I’m sorry, Michael, but this dance belongs to him,” she said as she turned back to the little boy. “So what’s your name?” Katie asked.
“Bobby. You know my sister Cindy,” he explained to her.
“You’re the one that thinks I’m pretty, right?” she asked.
“No, I know you’re pretty. Can we dance please?” he asked her.
“Well, Bobby, I’d love to, dear, but I don’t hear any music,” she told him.
“Details, details, details,” he said as he led Katie by the hand out to the middle of the stage. Katie really had no clue as to what this little boy was up to, but still she played along. Once they were in the center of the stage, Bobby clapped his hands together one time, and the band started playing.
Hearts of Grey Page 25
